Rat-trap



(Model.)

J. HARVELL.

RAT TRAP.

No. 364,924. Patented June 14, 1887.

N. PETERS. Phowmmmpnur. wnsmngmn. D. c,

there STATES i Armar Fries.

JACOB HARVELL, OF RAYMOND, ILLINOIS.

RAT-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,924, dated June 14,1887.

Serial No. 235,190. (Model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB HARVELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Raymond, in the county of Montgomery and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rat-Traps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe aceompanyin g drawings,which form a part of this specicatiomand in which-` Figure lis a perspective view of my improved trap, part of the outer easing or walls of the same being broken away and indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on the plane indicated by line xx, Fig. l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow on that view. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional 4view taken on the plane indicated by line y y, Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow on that view; and Fig. a is a vertical sectional view taken on line z z, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in a new and improved trap, which is constructed with two main and two auxiliary compartments, and with one main and two auxiliary swinging doors in such a manner that when the main swinging door is swung over bythe rat or other animal, so as to entrap the said animal, it by the same movement opens or sets 7 the other main compartment for the reception of another animal, the animals thus trapped passing from the main compartments into the auxiliary eompart` ment, in which they are retained by the auxiliary swinging doors, and from which' they are removed by opening end or side doors, which can only be opened by hand, and my invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the square or rectangular easing of my improved trap, eonsistin g of the four walls, the bottoni, and the top having the hinged portion F, through which access can. be obtained to the interior of the trap. This trap can be built of any desired size, as itis adapted to trap any kind of animal, from a mouse to a wolf or bear. The interior space of this easing A is divided by a central vertical transverse partition, O, into two main co1npartments, D and E, and the front side or wall of the casing A is formed with the two openings F and G, registering, respectively, with the forward end of these two compartments. These openings may be made of any desired size. The forward end of the vertical partition (i does not extend forward quite in contact with the forward side of the easing A, leaving a space, O', or it Amay be formed with a vertical slot at that point.

II indicates the main swinging door, which is of a size sufficient to close either of the openings F or G, and which, when swung down into its closed position, fits in grooves or guides I, which serve to hold it firmly in its closed position, and this door has rigidly secured to its lower inner end or point the forward ends oftwo parallel operati iig-shafts, JK, the lowermost one of which is secured and turns in bearings L in the center of thev bottom of the casing A at the foot of the central partition, C, as clearly shown in the sectional views, Figs. 3 and 4. The rear ends of these lever-rods are bent upward at right angles, as shown, and to their upper ends are hinged or connected the hooks M M, on which the bait is suspended.

The vertical partition C isformcd at a point registering with these upwardly-bent rear ends of the levers with a vertical slot, C2, of sutlicient length and width to admit of the passage through it ofthe handles or bent rear ends N, as the main door II is swung from side to side, as hereinafter described.

It will be seen that when the door H is lying on its side edge to either side it cffeetually closes one of the openings F or G, leaving the other opening perfectly unobstructed, as shown, with the bent end of one lever project ing through the slot C2 into the upper rear part of that main compartment. N ow the rat or other animal, seenting the bait on the hook M, enters through the opening G, which in Fig. 1 is shown as opened by the door II being swung over to close the other opening, F, thus entering into the compartment E, and as soon as he seizes and pulls down on the bait on the hook M he draws lupon that end of that lever or shaft K, so as to swing the door H IOO ' the compartment E, by this one movement trapping or securing the rat in that compartment, and at the same time opening the entrance to the other compartment,D, and elevating the hook and bait of the other lever to the upper part of the slot C2.

'The rear Wall of each of the main com partments vD and E is formed, near the lower part thereof, with an opening, O, of sufficient size for the molise, rat, or other animal designed to be trapped to vpass through, but much smaller than the forward opening of the compartlnent, and to the outer or r'ear side of these openings are hinged the swinging auxiliary doors P Q, which thus open in one direction only, enabling the animal to pass from thermain compartments through thesedoors,

but not to return. These doors open into an auxiliary compartment, R, which is secured to the outer side of the rear wall of the casing Aas shown,`and which is provided at one end with a sliding door, S, which cannot be opened by pressure from within, but only by sliding it up by hand. The rat or other animal thus entrapped in the main compartment, as before described, will in its endeavors to escape push up the swinging auxiliary door at the rear p of that main compartment and pass through the opening O into the auxiliary compartment R, the door l? swinging down closed byits own weight behind it. The animal is thus retained in the auxiliary compartment, and prevent-ed from returning into the main compartment, from which it could escape when the swinging door H is swung over to close t-he other main opening, and may be'removed from the auxiliary compartment by raising` the sliding door S, for thepurpose of destroying it. The forward opening, F, being thusI opened when the door H is swung over to close the opening G, permits of another. rat entering into the compartment D and seizing the bait on that hook M, when the door I-I is swung over, in the manner before described, so as to entrap the rat in that compartment, and the rat thus trapped will also, in his efforts to escape, force his way into tlieauxiliary compartment, in the manner before described, by raising the door Q,which closes of its own weight behind him, retaining the animal in the auxiliary com.- partment.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

Y the construction, method of operation, and

advantages of my improved trap will be readily understood. lIt will be seen that by constructing and arranging the swinging door H and the operating-levers in the manner described as the trap entraps one.animal in one of its main compartments it sets itself` automatically to trap another, and will repeat this operation indefinitely as long as the bait lasts, so that the only thing necessary,A

to be done is to renew'the bait when required, which is readily done by raising the hinged lid B. The animals caught or trapped in the main compartments pass into the auxiliary compartment, in which they are retained and prevented from escaping, and are removed by raising the sliding door S. Various moditications of the several parts of my trap may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

l. ln an animal-trap, the combination,with 'n the two main compartments having the forwardlend openings, of the single main swinging gate, arranged as described, and the le? vers secured at their forward ends to one corner ofthe same, and having the bent rear ends, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In au animal-trap, the combinatiomwith the casing having the central vertical partition formed with the vertical slot or slots, and having the large openings in its forward side, of the single main swinging door, arranged as described, and the levers secured at'their forward ends to one corner of the said door having the upwardly-bent rear ends, and v -end openings, of the main swinging door, ar-

ranged as described, the levers secured at their forward ends to one corner of the said door, and having the upwardly-bent rear ends,

the auxiliary hinged swinging doors, andthe y auxiliary casing having a sliding door, 4su'bstantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the main casing having hinged top, the vertical partition formed with the slot or slots, and the forward and rear end openings, vof the mainV swinging door, arranged as described, the levers secu red at their forward ends to one cor,- nerof the said door, and having the up.- wardly-bent rear' ends, the bait-hooks secured thereto, the auxiliary hinged ,swinging doors, and the auxiliary casing having the sliding door, substantially as and for the purposeset A forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoingas my own I have hereunto affixed my signature iu'presence of two witnesses.

JACOB HARVELL.'

Witnesses:

Finnois M. J oNEs,

W'ALirEn S. PARROTT. 

